176 Transactions . — Miscellaneous . 



the land of the glohe ahove the water-level, if shovelled into 

 the Pacific, would only fill one-seventh of it. English science 

 has recognised that of all the worlds she has to conquer the 

 secrets of the ocean are of great importance to her welfare, 

 irot only for the safety of her navy and mercantile marine, 

 but for the future extension of the magic girdle of modern 

 times which has embodied in itself the shoes of swiftness 

 and the cap of invisibility of the fairy tale, and which has 

 practically annihilated time and distance in commercial 

 transactions. 



From almost every branch of physical science come ques- 

 tions which can only be solved by researches into the con- 

 ditions which obtain in the ocean. 



If the charts of the present day be compared with those in 

 existence before Cook's time, the perfection now attained will 

 be easily noted. This important branch of oceanography has 

 been very greatly developed through the extension of geographi- 

 cal and geodetical knowledge under the impulse of commerce, 

 colonisation, and interoceanic relations. Nearly all the regions 

 of the ocean are accurately represented in our charts, even the 

 polar regions so far as explored. The bathymetrical charts of 

 Maury and Delesse and the wind and current charts of the 

 Hydrographic Office all show great advances in those branches 

 of knowledge. The latest cartographical elements introduced 

 into our charts are those relating to the depth and nature of 

 the bottom, which were specially investigated during the voy- 

 age of the " Challenger." The study of deep-sea deposits has 

 been brought about by the requirements of navigation and 

 the more modern applications of electricity, and now con- 

 stitutes an important branch of oceanography. 



The very important scientific voyage of the " Challenger " 

 took place in the years 1872-76 ; and the scheme proposed 

 " for the investigation of the biological, chemical, and physical 

 conditions of the great oceans of the world " was successfully 

 carried out. As soon as possible, the collections made and the 

 facts observed were placed in the hands of the most eminent 

 men in each department of science ; and after more than 

 twenty years of labour the final volumes have been issued. 

 The unanimous testimony of the scientific world to-day is 

 that the work taken in hand has been M^ell and truly done. 

 Never, says the leading zoologist in England, never did an 

 expedition cost so little and produce such momentous results 

 for human knowledge. The expenditure on the preparation 

 and publication of the reports has been relatively greater, but 

 the authorities of the Treasury may rest assured that the whole 

 of the scientific world sets the very highest value on these 

 volumes ; and that, had it suited the dignity of an Imperial 

 Government to treat the work on a commercial basis, instead 



